Accepting Bid as a contract

Circee · #1 08-24-2006, 05:44 PM

Is there anyway to escape the rule about joining no sorority for a year after accepting a bid? I was told to go ahead and sign my bid card and just "go to the bid party," even though I wasn't sure. Now I'm unhappy and feel stuck. I wish all this had been explained to me a little better by the recruitment conselors.

kddani · #2 08-24-2006, 06:23 PM

The only way is if you transfer schools.

AXOhottie · #3 08-24-2006, 06:28 PM

Assuming this is an NPC chapter, you cannot "get out" of having to wait one calendar year to join another sorority on your campus unless you transfer to a different university. Since you put XYZ on your pref card and signed it, you essentially said you would accept a bid from XYZ. Your pref card, not your bid card, is what has bound you to XYZ for one entire calendar year. The bid is just the invitation to join XYZ (which you already said you would accept by placing them on your pref card). Your Rho Gamma encouraged you to go to XYZ's bid day because you might have a good time and decide you really like XYZ and want to be a sister. If you have any questions about specific rules on your campus, or if the chapter is not NPC, you should contact your Greek Life advisor.

AChiOhSnap · #4 08-24-2006, 06:44 PM

How did you end up preffing a house you didn't want to be at?

AChiOhSnap · #5 08-24-2006, 08:03 PM

Thanks exlurker

We were talking about the above situations on another thread earlier, I just wanted to know which specific situation happened in this PNM's case.

ETA: The more and more I hear about these situations, the more and more I find myself wishing there were fewer sanctions on SIPing. I think it actually can make the sorority look bad to have women cancel their new memberships and be very obviously unhappy in that house.

tunatartare · #6 08-25-2006, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alpha Chi Emily

Thanks exlurker

We were talking about the above situations on another thread earlier, I just wanted to know which specific situation happened in this PNM's case.

ETA: The more and more I hear about these situations, the more and more I find myself wishing there were fewer sanctions on SIPing. I think it actually can make the sorority look bad to have women cancel their new memberships and be very obviously unhappy in that house.

I agree. My school says that PNMs have to rank all four sororities. So even if you can't stand XYZ, hate everything about them, thing they have the personality of a pile of bricks, etc., you could potentially get a bid from them. Nice.

UGAalum94 · #7 08-25-2006, 06:28 PM

I'm interested to know what happens if you don't.

Where I went, you were really encouraged to rank everyone where you preffed, but you could still get matched to your group if you "suicided."

tunatartare · #8 08-25-2006, 07:13 PM

Marist College

Sorority Council passed a rule saying that pnm's have to rank all four sororities. However, by us, girls who reject bids are still eligible for open bidding, we've always done it that way.

BAMA2 · #9 10-07-2008, 04:41 PM

I know when my daughter went through recruitment at Alabama that they explained every thing at length. Pref night took forever because, as my daughter put it, they had to sign their life away before they were allowed to leave. I believe they were individually asked if their pref card was right and they explained to them again what signing that card meant and the PNMs signed a form saying it had been explained to them and they agreed to abide by the rules.
Of course, at that point they all just wanted to pledge and probably would have signed just about anything but I was impressed that they attempted to impress upon the girls the seriousness of what they were doing.

sherryanne · #10 10-11-2008, 10:48 PM

Thanks for the clarification. At my school, very few chapters participate in COB, but I am still interested in checking them out. Even though I will be participating in COB, I am wondering if it would be best to not accept a bid (if I do receive a bid) and wait for FR. Most chapters don't do COB here, which is the disadvantage of participating in COB because I would love to see all of the chapters, but is not accepting a COB bid a missed opportunity? More than half of the PNMs receive bids during FR, but there is still a significant amount that end up bidless.

KSUViolet06 · #11 10-11-2008, 11:19 PM

Yes, declining a COB bid is a missed opportunity, but it's up to you to decide if it's worth it for you to turn down a bid in favor of waiting until formal recruitment to meet all chapters (and potentially get a bid). Both are good things, but it comes down to what you choose to do. You need to weigh the pros and cons for yourself. Keep in mind what year in school you're in and how competitive recruitment is at your school. For example, if you're going to be doing formal recruitment as an upperclassman at a really competitive school, the odds of you getting a bid may be slimmer compared to a freshman PNM.

SWTXBelle · #12 10-12-2008, 09:27 AM

As they say, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Should you get a COB bid from a group you love, with whom you can TOTALLY see yourself being a part of and sisters with - take it. No need to second guess yourself if you feel you have found your home.

If you are unsure, then you can always go through formal recruitment.